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Aqualung (song)
| Recorded = December 1970 – February 1971 | Studio = Island, London | Genre = *Progressive rock *hard rock *folk rock | Length = | Writer = *Ian Anderson *Jennie Anderson | Label = *Island (UK) *Reprise (US) *Chrysalis/Capitol (US re-issue) | Producer = *Ian Anderson *Terry Ellis | track_no = 1 | next = "Cross-Eyed Mary" | next_no = 2 }} "Aqualung" is a song by the British progressive rock band Jethro Tull, and the title track from their Aqualung (1971) album. The song was written by the band's frontman, Ian Anderson, and his then-wife Jennie Franks. While this track was never a single, its eponymous album Aqualung was Jethro Tull's first American Top 10 album, reaching number seven in June 1971.Rock Movers & Shakers by Dafydd Rees & Luke Crampton, 1991 Billboard Books. Lyrics The lyrics convey a story of a homeless man named Aqualung. In verses 1 and 2, he is shown as a dirty tramp, who can't but evoke a sense of hopelessness and disgust, as not a single person in the world would ever help him. Aqualung is lone and sick, doomed to "bend to pick a dog-end" (British slang for a discarded cigarette butt). In verse 3, he sees a light of hope for compassion, arising in encounter of the very storyteller (Aqualung my friend, don't you start away uneasy). But still, in verse 4 the inevitable seems to happen, and a poor creature is "snatching rattling last breaths". The indifference to grief is nevertheless reigning on earth, "and the flowers bloom like madness in the spring". The lyrics compare the tramp's unhealthy breathing to "deep sea diver sounds", referring to the actual aqualung device. Recording The original recording runs for 6:34. In an interview with singer Ian Anderson in the September 1999 Guitar World, he said:Jethro Tull Press: Guitar World, September 1999 The Aqualung character is also mentioned in "Cross-Eyed Mary", the next song on the album. An alternative mix of "Aqualung", with echo on Anderson's vocals and the opening guitar riff played twice instead of once, appears on the compilation M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull (1976). This version also has different acoustic guitar and vocal parts during the second part of the song ("sun streaking cold"), but then reverts to the regular mix starting with "Aqualung my friend". The track was not released as a single. As Ian Anderson explained during an interview with Songfacts: Recorded appearances * Aqualung (1971) * M.U. – The Best of Jethro Tull (1976) * Bursting Out (1978) * Slipstream (1981) * A Classic Case (1985) * Original Masters (1985) * 20 Years of Jethro Tull (1988) * 20 Years of Jethro Tull: Highlights (1988) * The Very Best of Jethro Tull (2001) * Living with the Past (2002) * A New Day Yesterday (2003) * Ian Anderson Plays the Orchestral Jethro Tull (2005) * Aqualung Live (2005) Personnel ;Jethro Tull * Ian Anderson – vocals, acoustic guitar, producer * Martin Barre – electric guitar * John Evan – piano, organ * Jeffrey Hammond – bass guitar * Clive Bunker – drums, percussion ;Additional Personnel * Terry Ellis - producer In popular culture Films and TV * The song is referenced in the 2004 film Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy: Burgundy (Will Ferrell) plays a jazz flute solo, during which he plays the beginning of the song. * The song can be heard in "The Incredible Hank" episode of American adult animated sitcom King of the Hill, while Hank Hill is lifting weights in his garage. * The opening lyric and riff of "Aqualung" are muttered by Tony Soprano as he comes into the kitchen in episode #71 ("Live Free or Die") of the TV series The Sopranos.[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0705259/trivia Trivia for The Sopranos] Internet Movie Data Base * The song was featured on the 18 November 2010, episode of American television comedy series 30 Rock, entitled "College". Pete Hornberger plays acoustic guitar while Jack Donaghy sings the lyric, "I don't know the words except park bench." * In Cold Case, the song played during one of the flashback sequences in the episode "The Woods" Music * The song has been covered by Elf in their 1972 live concert. * Bob Rivers made a parody Christmas version, called "Aquaclaus", on his 2002 album, White Trash Christmas. Video games * The rendered character of Icarus in God of War II was inspired by Aqualung found on the cover of the album. * A few parts of the song comprise the theme of the critiques of independent game reviewer, "Aqualung". * This song is a playable song in the music video games Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock, Rock Band 2, and Rock Band Unplugged. References External links * * Aqualung Lyrics * Songfacts "Aqualung" entry Category:Jethro Tull (band) songs Category:1971 songs Category:Songs written by Ian Anderson Category:Songs about homelessness Category:Songs about sexuality Category:Song recordings produced by Ian Anderson Category:Rock ballads